Nova Scotia’s coastline is dotted with hidden gems and jewels in areas that are often overlooked by Tourism companies and locals alike. One of those places is the Strait of Canso which separates Cape Breton Island from mainland Nova Scotia. The Strait of Canso is strategically located as a gateway to the Northumberland Strait, the Bras d’or Lakes or Atlantic Ocean.

Approximately three miles south of the Canso Causeway, which links Cape Breton to mainland Canada, are two inlets that bookend the Town of Mulgrave, Nova Scotia’s smallest town.

The northern inlet is home to the Mulgrave Marina in Venus Cove which offers shelter from the brisk north winds that often funnel down the mile wide strait. Venus Cove was originally called McNair’s Cove, named for Mulgrave’s first permanent settler who fought with Wolfe in Quebec. McNair’s Cove was the site of the A&R Loggie fish plant in 1895. The building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1915 and then again shortly after a strike in 1970. Currently the site is home to the Mulgrave Marina and a museum dedicated to Mulgrave’s rich history.

The museum really does resemble a ferry

The museum is cleverly designed in the shape of the SCOTIA II which was a train ferry that traversed the strait with both train cars and passengers to Cape Breton prior to the construction of the Canso Causeway in 1955. Despite its size it would take a few days for one to fully immerse oneself in the numerous artifacts donated by past and current members of the local population.

The marina itself is a hub of activity throughout the year, especially during summer. The current club house was originally located in nearby Aulds Cove and was later moved to its current location. Due to a myriad of logistical challenges a special road of approximately 7 km was built to move the building from Aulds Cove. It was a massive undertaking over rough terrain. With a season kick-off meal, hosted by the Mulgrave Marina Association, a relatively inexpensive lobster dinner is enjoyed by many as the festive summer begins. The lobster is supplied by local fishermen who are also members of the Club. At about the same time the docks go in, boats are launched, and the fun begins at what is later the location for the Scotia Days festival and its spectacular fireworks finale.

At the south end of Mulgrave, passed the town dock is picturesque Pirate Harbour. Although the road sign reads “Established 1785” its history goes back beyond that date.

In 1775, John Paul Jones, the noted American privateer is said to have sought safety from a British man-of-war in Pirate Harbour which was a rendezvous for pirate ships. There are legends of murder, rape, and buried treasure on Pirate Island, now called Susie’s Island. Many have tried to find the treasure, but none have succeeded. Are you reading this Rick and Marty Lagina?

Legend has it that pirate ships used to hide in the harbour behind the island, now connected to the mainland by a small causeway. As passing ships sailed through the strait within striking distance of the island the trap was sprung. Suddenly out from the lee of the island a pirate ship would overtake the hapless vessel for pillage and plunder.

Long after the pirates disappeared and prior to the end of the Reciprocity Treaty in 1866 the shores of Mulgrave became home to many fishing wharves to service the American fishing fleet. It was said that during this time there were so many ships in the strait you could walk to Cape Breton without getting your feet wet. The ruins of the wharves can still be seen along the beach on the south side of the wharf. I use this beach as the home base for my Hobie Wave catamaran, Thunderstruck. The strategic location means that in either a north or south wind a fast reach is always possible. Earlier this summer I launched from the beach in a moderate north wind and sailed toward a freighter passing through the strait. Within 5 minutes I was nearing the oncoming bow of the passing ship reminiscent of the pirates in the 1700’s. If this happened off the coast of Somalia I could have easily been mistaken for a pirate.

After the Americans were gone, the Fenian raids of 1866-1871 became a threat to Canada but not to Mulgrave, as it was home to a volunteer naval company of 120 men.

Modern day Pirate Harbour is home to a small pilotage firm responsible for taking pilots out the many supertankers that call in to the Statia Oil Terminal, or smaller ships that call on the pulp mill or gypsum plant on the Cape Breton side. Still there are many others that traverse the Strait of Canso via the Canso Canal. Though the main wharf at Pirate Harbour has fallen to a state of disrepair from Hurricane Harper, many local boaters moor in the well protected harbour. Construction of the Canso Causeway has resulted in most of the harbour being silted in thus putting an extra layer of protection over the pirate booty.

As we all know 2017 was a very active hurricane season and fortunately none of them graced our shores. But when there is an immediate threat of a hurricane Pirate Harbour becomes very busy as boats from other harbours congregate to outride any southerly tempests.

Rob Dunbar

Special thanks to Emma Einarson who handed in a school project “A History of Mulgrave” in 1979 from which I have used sections for this article.

A favourite destination for many boaters and tourists alike is the lovely Mackinaw Island. Sitting in Lake Huron on the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac in the state of Michigan, it covers almost ten kilometres, of which 80% is park land. It was a sacred place of the Anishinaabe and home of the Gitche Manitou (Great Spirit) some 700 years prior to the arrival of the first Europeans.

According to legend, the Island was created by the Great Hare, Michabou, and was the first land to appear after the recession of the Great Flood.

I think my favourite program was Bonanza. I would rush home after school, get my homework done, clean up the dishes, and then I would watch the ol’ West come alive with those three handsome, funny brothers who thrived on adventure.

At the time, I thought that the adventuresome West - and the pioneers who could handle just about anything thrown their way - was the stuff of make-believe.

We will probably look back on 2018 and 2019 as the years when power boats were reinvented by the combined forces of a booming U.S. economy and the wide-spread development and introduction of so many amazing new outboard engines. The result has been the development of many remarkable new designs!

One of the most inventive designers and builders is Jeanneau, and the NC 1095 is their new flagship outboard cruiser by Centkowski & Denert Design.

Lagoon has been building catamarans for too long to make a false move. That’s why when the management felt that their tried-and-true 450 model, long a cruising favourite and winner of transatlantic events such as the ARC, was getting near retirement age, they went back to a team that has designed many successful models for them: Nauta Design for interiors and VPLP design with Patrick le Quément for naval architecture and exteriors.

We spoke with Nauta Design’s Massimo Gino about his work with Lagoon.

“Along with the many custom superyacht projects we do, we have been collaborating with Lagoon since 2009.

Grounding is always an interesting idea when on a boat. Can a boat be ‘grounded’ when it’s in the water?

Electrical ground is a term used to describe the reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltage is measured, a common return path for electric current, or a direct physical connection to the earth.

Connection to ground is also important in order to trigger protective mechanisms in the event of failure of internal insulation, and also limits the build-up of static electricity.

Watch for a tsunami of innovative new boating products in the chandlery this year, as accessory manufacturers battle for your attention and dollars.

This past decade has been a real up-and-down ride for the companies who make boating equipment. When the recession hit in 2008/2009, new product development for most manufacturers ground to a sharp halt as they focused on more pressing issues, like simply keeping the lights on. It took a few years for the economy to stabilize and for the first handful of new items to begin slowly trickling out to market. For guys like me who make a living writing about new boating gear, those were pretty lean years, let me tell you.

You most likely operate your vessel with batteries that are rechargeable. Rechargeable batteries account for nearly half of worldwide battery sales. Within the rechargeable battery category, there are many different types of chemistries that are used. The most proven type of chemistry is the lead acid chemistry.

Wet cell or “flooded” batteries and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries are both considered lead batteries and contain an electrolyte solution which causes a chemical reaction and produces electrons. These batteries are recharged when put in contact with a reverse current. But, given the way they are designed, they each have their own pros and cons and these variations should be considered before use.

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